Survey Of Maryland Voters About Black Bear Hunting
This survey published in August 2004 addresses Maryland voter attitudes toward the hunting of black bears.
Voters were asked “Black bears were once hunted to near extinction in Maryland, but after a half century of protection, they have made a comeback and established a small population of a few hundred bears in the western part of the state. The state of Maryland now proposed allowing recreational trophy hunters to kill black bears for the first time in more than 50 years, beginning this October. Do you [level] favor or [level] oppose the hunting of black bears in Maryland?”
- Strongly favor (17%)
- Moderately favor (18%)
- Strongly oppose (36%)
- Moderately oppose (21%)
- No opinion (8%)
Those opposed (strongly or moderately):
- 63% of Democrats
- 52% of independents
- 48% of Republicans
- 55% of whites
- 65% of African Americans
- 53% of males
- 61%of females
Voters were also asked, “Bears sometimes cause conflicts, mostly related to trash cans and bird-feeders. Please indicate whether you [level] agree or [level] disagree with the following statement: ‘I prefer that state officials address bear conflicts using non-lethal measures such as public education, trash management and rubber pellets and loud noises to frighten bears away, rather than hunting.'”
- Strongly agree (45%)
- Moderately agree (28%)
- Moderately disagree (7%)
- Strongly disagree (15%)
- No answer (5%)
Those in agreement (strongly or moderately):
- 81% of Democrats
- 56% of Republicans
- 79% of independents
- 73% of whites
- 72% of African Americans
- 71% of males
- 75% of females
“It is estimated that black bears in Maryland cause $10,000 to $50,000 worth of damage to agricultural crops in the state per year. Two animal protection groups have offered the state of Maryland $75,000 to cancel the proposed bear hunt this October. The money would be used to reimburse Maryland farmers 100% of their financial losses for the first time ever, and augment the state’s bear education programs. Do you think the state should accept this money and cancel the bear hunt, or reject the money and continue with the hunt?”
- Accept, cancel hunt (59%)
- Reject, continue hunt (26%)
- No answer (15%)
This in favor of accepting the offer and canceling the hunt:
- 67% of Democrats
- 43% of Republicans
- 63% of independents
- 57% of whites
- 65% of African Americans
- 58% of males
- 60% of females
“If a political candidate in Maryland supported allowing the hunting and killing of black bears, would you be more likely to vote for that candidate, less likely to vote for that candidate, or would their position make no real difference in how you’d vote?”
- More likely (10%)
- Less likely (30%)
- No difference (60%)
Those more likely, less likely and no difference include:
- 9%/37%/54% of Democrats
- 12%/18%/70% of Republicans
- 8%/29%/63% of independents
- 11%/31%/58% of whites
- 7%/27%/66% of African Americans
- 12%/27%/61% of males
- 8%/33%/59% of females